Kathleen Kane elected Pennsylvania attorney general

HARRISBURG — Kathleen Kane, a former Lackawanna County prosecutor, was elected Tuesday to become the first Democrat and first elected woman to serve as Pennsylvania attorney general.

With 93 percent of precincts statewide reporting, Kane was leading Republican challenger David Freed, the two-term district attorney of Cumberland County, 57 to 41 percent, unofficial tallies showed. Libertarian Marakay Rogers was also on the ballot.

Reached for comment at her victory celebration in Scranton, Kane, 46, said she believed voters had believed her message that "I am an independent prosecutor … and I believe the people of Pennsyvlania know it's what they want and they deserve."

Freed, who held his own campaign celebration in suburban Harrisburg, could not be reached for comment.

Kane and Freed were both looking to fill the spot last occupied by Gov. Tom Corbett, who served as attorney general from 2004 to 2010. Republicans have controlled the office for the four decades it has been an elected post.

Kane — though independently wealthy and hailing from a prominent northeastern Pennsylvania family — has cast herself in public appearances and campaign ads as an outsider with no political ties to the Harrisburg establishment.

More than once this fall, including during the campaign's lone debate Oct. 22, Kane described Freed as Corbett's handpicked candidate. She also claimed that her opponent, because of both blood and political ties, wouldn't take on Republicans who control the governor's office and the General Assembly.

Freed, whose father-in-law is former Attorney General LeRoy Zimmerman, has bristled at the criticism and has pointed voters to his seven years' experience as a prosecutor, where he tried cases against popular teachers and local officials.

Zimmerman is also the former head of the Hershey Trust, the subject of an investigation by the attorney general's office. Freed has said he'd recuse himself if the probe turns criminal and involves his father-in-law.

The argument for independence is all the more urgent because of public scrutiny on the office from both the Jerry Sandusky case and the long-running Bonusgate public corruption investigation. Both have triggered accusations of political favoritism.

Freed took aim at Kane in an attack advertisement, as did an outside group that questioned her handling of sexual assault cases while serving as a county assistant prosecutor. The ad had to be corrected because of inaccurate claims.

A group called the Committee for Justice and Fairness launched an ad critical of Freed's public statements on Corbett's handling of the Sandusky probe. The group is funded by the Democratic Attorneys General Association, which gave $100,000 to Kane's campaign last month, records show.

Last week, a super PAC backed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent $250,000 on a commercial attacking Freed's opposition to new gun laws. The Republican has called for stricter enforcement of existing laws and praised the Legislature's approval of a new law cracking down on so-called "straw purchasers" of handguns.

Kane spent much of the fall campaign ahead in both fund-raising and in public opinion polls. She raised $1.465 million and had $1.05 million on-hand as of Oct. 22, the most recent campaign finance reporting period.

Through Oct. 22, Freed raised $706,548, spent $204,573 and had $1.52 million on-hand, according to a campaign filing made public last month. Freed also reported $2,390 worth of in-kind contributions, in which a good or service, but not cash, changes hands.

The two candidates diverged on Corbett's handling of the investigation of former Penn State Coach Jerry Sandusky, launched while Corbett was still attorney general.

Kane has said she'd conduct an "investigation." Freed has called for a "review" of Corbett's handling of the case. Both have portrayed themselves as law and order candidates, shying away from the crusading prosecutor model embraced by such attorneys general as Kamala Harris of California or now-Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York.

With 60 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Eugene DePasquale is the projected winner with 53 percent of the vote. Republican John Maher collected 43 percent of the vote. Libertarian Betsy Summers had 4 percent.

Treasurer

With 60 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Robert McCord is the projected winner with 56 percent of the vote. Republican Diana Irey Vaughan had 40 percent of the vote. Libertarian candidate Patrician Fryman collected 4 percent of the vote.